European Innovation Council

The European Innovation Council (EIC) has a budget of EUR 10.1 billion to support game changing innovations throughout the lifecycle from early-stage research to proof of concept, technology transfer, and the financing and scale up of start-ups and SMEs’ that are too risky for private investors. 

Contact us for more information about any of the calls below. 

EIC Pathfinder

The EIC Pathfinder programme funds advanced research to develop the scientific basis to underpin breakthrough technologies. It provides support for the earliest stages of scientific, technological or deep-tech research and development (TRL 1-4). Pathfinder aims to fund new, cutting-edge directions in science and technology to disrupt a field and a market or create new opportunities by realizing innovative technological solutions. Research Support DTU assists with EIC Pathfinder, if you are the coordinator. There are 2 variants of the EIC Pathfinder:

EIC Pathfinder Open:

• Support projects in any field of science, technology or application without predefined thematic priorities
• Project duration1-5 years
• Consortium - at least 3 participating organisations
• EU grant ≤ EUR 4 million

EIC Pathfinder Challenges:

• Supports coherent portfolios of projects within predefined thematic areas with the aim of achieving specific objectives for each Challenge
• Project duration1-5 years
• Consortium – Single applicant or small consortia (2-5 participants)
• EU grant ≤ EUR 4 million

EIC Transition

The European Innovation Council (EIC) Transition funding scheme funds advanced research to ‘supports the maturation and validation of novel technologies in the lab and in relevant application environments, as well as the development of a business case and (business) model towards the innovation’s future commercialisation’. It is designed to fund innovation activities that go beyond the experimental proof of principle in the laboratory and results in a technology that is ‘demonstrated to be effective for its intended application (Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5/6) and a business model, its initial validation and a business plan for its development to market’. Proposals must build on results already achieved within an eligible project that are, at least, at experimental proof of concept (TRL 3) or, ideally, technology validated in the lab level (TRL 4). Research Support DTU assists with EIC Transition. if you are the coordinator.

• Support projects in any field of science, technology or application without predefined thematic priorities
• Project duration1-3 years
• Consortium – Single applicant or small consortia (2-5 participants)
• EU grant ≤ EUR 2,5 million

EIC Accelerator

The EIC Accelerator supports Small-to-Medium Sized Enterprise (SME), start-ups and small Mid-caps (up to 499 employees) with ‘high-impact innovations that are deemed too financially risky for the market to invest alone, with a particular focus on deep-tech and game-changing innovations. It focuses ‘on innovations, building on scientific discovery or technological breakthroughs (‘deep tech’) and where significant funding is needed over a long timeframe before returns can be generated (‘patient capital’)’.

DTU can only participate in EIC Accelerator funded projects as a subcontractor.